The bills were among many measures in a public lands bill that also would protect nearly 2 million acres in nine states as designated wilderness areas. The omnibus bill passed the U.S. House 285-140 on Wednesday.

Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., voted against the bill, saying she didn't get an opportunity to make changes she wanted, such as to boundary lines in the Wyoming Range Legacy Act.

"She wanted to see some targeted improvements made," spokesman Ryan Taylor said.

The lands bill includes another measure important to Wyoming. It would compensate ranchers for livestock killed by wolves.

Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., voted for the lands bill last week. Both mentioned the legacy of Thomas, who pushed the Wyoming Range legislation until his death from leukemia in 2007.

On Wednesday, Barrasso recalled finding the late senator's notes on the bill in his desk after he was appointed to replace Thomas. Barrasso said he has been pushing for the Wyoming Range bill ever since.

"I really felt it was very important to try to continue Sen. Thomas' work," he said.

He called the bill a good example of multiple land use and said he heard that President Obama plans to sign the legislation Monday.

"This doesn't stop any of the energy production that's currently ongoing," Barrasso said. "It just says no future development, and continue to protect that area for hunting, fishing, ranching -- you know, all of the other uses."

Seeing the bill through Congress has been a four-year project for Tom Reed, spokesman for the group Sportsmen for the Wyoming Range. Reed said the measure is a good example of offsetting the environmental effects of heavy gas drilling just east of the mountains.

"We felt like here's a perfect example where you can do it right," he said. "You can develop a field or two on one hand, and on the other hand you can keep some of it for wildlife and fisheries and people who like to hunt and fish."

Reed said he rode a horse along the length of the mountain range over nine days in 2007 and saw only a handful of other people over the entire trip.

"This is a place where we don't need to be drilling. We need to be thinking about our kids and grandkids," he said. "That's kind of what it means for me."

Under the bill, no additional oil and gas leasing, mining patents or geothermal leasing would be allowed in a 100-mile-long stretch of the state's namesake mountain range Bridger-Teton National Forest in western Wyoming. The bill also establishes a process by which groups or individuals interested in conservation could buy back leases and retire them permanently, if the lease-holders were willing to sell.

The oil and gas industry has opposed the measure.

Less controversial has been the Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act, which would protect 387 miles of rivers and streams in the Snake River drainage.

Designating a river as wild and scenic protects water quality and the free-flowing nature of a river while allowing activities such as fishing, hunting, camping, boating, snowmobile riding, ATV use and livestock grazing.

The United States has more than 11,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers, but Wyoming has been at the bottom of the list with only 20 wild and scenic river miles. Idaho has 574.

"This is a historic day for all who enjoy the Snake River," said Marley Vaughn, executive director of the Snake River Fund, which helped push for the legislation. "We are deeply indebted to Sens. Thomas and Barrasso for their foresight, protecting this sparkling treasure for generations to come."